Latest AI Combat Tools Tested by AUKUS: Enhancing Defense Capabilities

AUKUS is making strides in integrating artificial intelligence into defense systems. As reported by Fox News, officials announced on September 9 that the latest technology combining AI with drones in a "combat environment" has successfully passed tests conducted by the AUKUS security alliance. Defense agencies of AUKUS member countries stated that these advanced sensing technology tests aim to determine whether drones can "complete missions and maintain network connectivity" across multiple domains, including land, sea, air, and cyberspace.

According to the AUKUS agreement's second pillar, which focuses on the collaborative development and military application of advanced technology capabilities, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia are coordinating AI technologies for defense and security purposes, primarily to address China's increasingly aggressive behavior in the Indo-Pacific region.

A statement from the U.S. Department of Defense revealed that the integration of AI and drone technology aims to "minimize the time between detecting enemy targets, deciding how to respond, and neutralizing threats." It noted that once these technologies mature and are integrated into national platforms, the new sensing systems will provide more reliable data, enabling commanders to make optimal decisions and allowing military forces to respond more rapidly to "kinetic military threats," while achieving seamless joint operations across various branches and nations.

In trials focused on "resilient and autonomous AI technologies," operators utilized a map-based application known as the "Tactical Assault Kit." This software gathers data in conjunction with another drone that provides detailed imagery and employs "dynamic adjustment" techniques to assist a UK drone in detecting enemy positions. The coordinated information is relayed to an "AI officer" at the tactical operations center, who supervises the operation before an Australian XT-8 drone initiates a strike.

Sabulon, the head of trustworthy AI and autonomy in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, commented, "In the past, each nation developed separate models using its own data sets and deployed these models on their platforms. With resilient and autonomous AI technology, we have refined the AI pipeline, focusing on interoperability and interchangeable functionality, allowing the UK, US, and Australia to utilize any combination of data sets, models, algorithms, and platforms."

American media suggest that insights gained from these joint trials will contribute to the creation of an "AI and autonomy ecosystem" for operational use by the US, UK, and Australia. Sabulon emphasized, "Our goal is to build a robust pipeline that is both interchangeable and interoperable, capable of collecting data on the edge, training our AI systems, conducting testing and evaluations, and adapting to unexpected threats—all within ten hours." He noted, "This represents a significant milestone in our partnership."

Last week, former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating criticized Australia's participation in AUKUS, labeling the agreement as "the worst deal in history." Keating asserted that Australia is fully capable of defending itself without being "a shoe stuck to the backside of the Americans."